Understand that God’s grace is Him helping us not to sin. That is the power that has been given to us and that we are to live by and under. If we do, then we are not subject to the Law’s death penalty. So it seems criminal to me that some say the Law (the Ten Commandments) has been done away with. For the moment we sin, there we are – guilty and right back under the eternal Law’s condemnation.

I think the problem is not understanding what it means to be under the Law. Under the Law doesn’t mean having to force oneself to keep the Law in order to be saved. A true Christian is already saved. Under the Law is placing oneself under the Law’s power to convict and levy a penalty. And that’s what we face when we break break (sin) the Law. For at that point, we are automatically guilty.  

God’s grace, though, spares us the Law’s death sentence. That’s because His grace, in addition to enabling power, is comprised of mercy.  And God’s mercy (expressed in the person of Christ Jesus) supersedes His Law and its judgment (James 2: 13).  God’s grace says that if we sin; but we sincerely repent by confessing the sin and asking for forgiveness, He will forgive and cleanse us from the unrighteousness.

But make no mistake. The Law has not been abolished. It’s always there. It has to be because God is always there. It is part of His character, meaning it is part of the source of life, for God is life. That’s why when we sin and break the Commandments, we break life, which leads to death.  If we truly are living under God’s grace, we will truly be in love with speaking and acting in accordance with His Law. In fact, the divine nature within us will have us naturally establishing and exhibiting the Law (Romans 3: 31). For the point of God saving us is to be restored to His Law-abiding image and character.